History
Diving back in time to explore the rich and exciting past is one of our favourite parts of the curriculum.
Primary history - strong knowledge of historical events
Our Reception students begin this journey by asking questions around their own families past and present, as well as exploring the significant events that have already taken place in their own lives.
By the time students reach the primary phase they are already able to discuss the building blocks of chronology, and we delve further into the history of London and significant figures in our past.
From here we then take a chronological journey from the stone age, through the Ancient Greeks, passed the different tribes and invasions of Anglo-Saxon Britain before the impacts of the World Wars.
By the time students reach secondary they have a strong knowledge of historical events across the human history. We then build on these opportunities by delving into the complex nature of cause and consequence, developed and enhanced by trips to the Natural History Museum and British History Museum to see history come to life.
Woven throughout our curriculum are the stories of other cultures and a focus on significant black figures, not as tokenistic additions, but important moments in human history. Our students are therefore able to hold on to knowledge and tell stories of historical events with confidence.
“Learning history helps make sure we don’t make the same mistakes they made in the past.” Eliza, Year 2
“I really enjoyed learning about the Trojan Horse. The Greek’s trick worked really well, and they snuck out while everyone was asleep!” Aiden, Year 3
Secondary history – British, European, and global
Key Stage 3 History at Harris Garrard Academy provides all students in Years 7-9 with two lessons per week, delivering a chronologically sequenced curriculum designed to build powerful knowledge and essential historical skills.
Students develop a strong sense of period across the Medieval, Early Modern, and Modern eras, exploring British, European, and world history through substantive concepts such as power, empire, and revolution, and second-order concepts like change, cause, and consequence.
Through historical enquiries, source analysis, and interpretation, learners progress from constructing sound arguments in Year 7 to evaluating interpretations and evidential problems by Year 9, ensuring they leave Key Stage 3 as confident, critical thinkers prepared for GCSE study.
By the end of Year 10, students will have completed the Medicine Through Time and Weimar and Nazi Germany units, gaining secure, detailed knowledge to tackle GCSE-style questions confidently. They will develop the ability to construct well-argued responses to 12- and 16-mark questions, make judgements using clear criteria, and apply counterfactual thinking. Students will also learn to draw and assess inferences from historical sources, evaluate their utility, and explain why interpretations differ based on historians’ methods and approaches.
Year 11 builds on these skills as students complete the remaining topics – Superpower Relations, the Cold War, and Early Elizabethan England – while refining their ability to write historical narratives, explain significance, and connect events to wider contexts. By the end of Key Stage 4, learners can confidently evaluate interpretations, analyse provenance, and apply subject-specific vocabulary in sophisticated arguments, ensuring they are fully prepared for GCSE exams and equipped with critical thinking skills for further study.
At Key Stage 5, students study Edexcel A-level History, covering topics such as the American Dream (1917–1996), South Africa under apartheid (1948-1994), and Tudor rebellions (1485–1603), alongside completing an independent NEA enquiry. The course develops advanced skills in critical analysis, constructing evidence-based arguments, and evaluating sources and interpretations – essential for success in exams and beyond. These analytical, research, and communication skills prepare students for careers in law, journalism, politics, teaching, public policy, and heritage, as well as roles requiring strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
“I really enjoy learning about how the world got shaped into what it is today. It’s interesting to learn about what happened in the past and how those events still affect our lives now, and it makes the world make more sense to me.” Sintija, Year 8
For further details...
For further details of our primary history curriculum please contact Nick Hone.
For further details of our secondary history curriculum please contact Ahmed Mukadam a.mukadam@harrisgarrard.org.uk.
Click HERE to download the History curriculum overview.